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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26740999">Don't Leave Me Hanging</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/blazingstar29/pseuds/blazingstar29'>blazingstar29</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Whumptober 2020 [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Merlin (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst and Hurt/Comfort, BAMF Merlin (Merlin), Gen, Lancelot (Merlin) Lives, Merlin is a Little Shit, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Protective Arthur, Restraints, Torture, Whumptober</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 10:53:42</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,073</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26740999</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/blazingstar29/pseuds/blazingstar29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Day 1 of Whumptober: Don't Leave me Hanging</p><p>Merlin held captured with the knights of Camelot by Cenred. Can how long can he withstand Cenred before he breaks?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Merlin &amp; Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Whumptober 2020 [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1946425</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>185</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Don't Leave Me Hanging</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I will be posting every four days for whumptober, 1,4,8... </p><p>I hope you enjoy :)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The grimy cell was lit only through a hand full of candles and a small caged window. When Merlin awoke it was all a blur as his eyes adjusted to the weak light. It was a few moments before he realised his hands were shackled to the ceiling. The balls of his feet barley scraping the ground. </p><p>He twisted and found himself off balance, his shoulders beginning to ache something fierce. The events leading up to his imprisonment flooded back to him. </p><p>Merlin was accompanying Arthur and the knights through Cenred’s kingdom when the king attacked with forces twice their own. They were outnumbered, and there was no point in resistance. </p><p>The door to his cell slid open and Merlin got a chance to see across the hall. In another cell was Arthur and the knights, Gwaine, Leon, Percival, Elyan and Lancelot. <br/>Arthur’s eyes widened when he saw Merlin before the door was shut when Cenred walked in.</p><p>“Merlin, Merlin, Merlin,” the greasy king leered.  The stench of rum seeping off of him. “The man closest to the King of Camelot.”</p><p>“I’m not telling you anything,” Merlin sneered at the king. The man laughed obnoxiously, sprays of saliva exiting his mouth.</p><p>“Obviously you haven’t had enough time hanging around,” Cenred chuckled as he walked towards a handle. Merlin’s eyes followed the chain attached and realised it was what was keeping him suspended. Cenred cranked the handle ever so slightly until Merlin’s shoes dusted the ground.</p><p>The young warlock cried out as his shoulders and wrists complained. Cenred stalked back to the door and went to close it before having a second thought.</p><p>“I’ll leave the door open, let you see your king,” he teased before leaving the dungeons.</p><p>“Merlin!” Lancelot rushed to the bars of the cell. Merlin tried to plaster on a smile, but it wasn’t as reassuring as he thought. Arthur watched him with sad eyes before dropping his head, unable to watch anymore.</p><p>-</p><p>Merlin hung there for a few more hours when Cenred returned. The man was willing to play the long game. When Merlin refused to tell Cenred anything about Arthur he was flogged. But worse, he wound the chain higher. Merlin’s feet didn’t touch the ground unless he stretched as far as he could. </p><p>The pain was excruciating. Tears leaked down his face, but the knights had enough respect that no one commented as he cried out any time he moved. </p><p>Once, when the light from the window disappeared Arthur yelled and rammed his fist into the wall only to recoil with a hiss. The young king sank to the floor and shut his eyes, a look of distress and anger clouding his features.</p><p>“Arthur,” Merlin tried to gripe playfully but it sounded more like a groan. The King’s head shot up; it was the first time Merlin had actually spoken to them. “Don’t, don’t go messing up those h-ha-ands of yours. ‘m not helping Gaius fi-ix them.” </p><p>Arthur huffed a short laugh, but the guilt was strong.</p><p>“This is my fault,” he sighed. “We should never have risked going through Cenred’s kingdom. We should have signed a treaty; his trust was never fool proof.”</p><p>“Arthur?” Merlin said, the man lifted his sorrowful eyes. “Shut up. Cenred’s a prick, he only has…his personal intr-ts at heart.” </p><p>-</p><p>It was at the break of morning when Cenred returned. His stench told of his evening spent drinking. </p><p>“Feeling any more, amiable to your old king Merlin?” Realisation struck through Arthur. The day Hunith raced to the Camelot to seek aid from Uther to help their village. Merlin came from Cenred’s Kingdom, regardless of his admittedly poor village, it explained how gaunt he was and… and his defiance against royalty.  Cenred was not a king to treat his subjects fairly, Arthur could see Uther’s faults. But it was never as bad as Cenred. </p><p>They had spent at least twelve hours in those cells. And Merlin was beginning to show his fatigue yet his defiance against his captor was still burning brightly. </p><p>“This is an ac-t of war against the Kin-dom of Camelot. You have restrained the Knights of the Round Table and King Arthur Pendragon!” Merlin yelled though his words slurred. </p><p>“Then maybe I should let them go? And you can stay here, Merlin of Ealdor,” Cenred laced a trap. The knights didn’t really have any importance. Arthur perhaps, as a hostage. But the King could still send orders not to rescue him. He would do anything for his Kingdom, he was trained against torture techniques. His servant would not. His servant will break.</p><p>“No!” Arthur yelled running to the bars. “We leave, we leave together!” There was fear in his eyes. Fear that Merlin would let Cenred let them go and Merlin would die. </p><p>Cenred rolled his eyes at the King and lunged at Merlin, grabbing the young man’s waist and pulling down.  Merlin screamed out in agony as his shoulder dislocated. He heaved in air trying to quash the rising bile. Cenred patted his cheek before returning to the upper floors of the castle. The bile won and drippled down Merlin’s chin. The shoulder was burning and his subconscious finally allowed him to leave the conscious plain.</p><p>-</p><p>Merlin didn’t remember being lowered down from the chains, there was pain but it didn’t break him from his sleep. </p><p>The first time his eyes open the sky was grey, dusk or dawn Merlin did not know. People were around him. Someone had put it his shoulder back into place, that was what had awoken him. But now, with the agony gone he returned to the darkness as a voice floated around him.</p><p>“You can rest now.”</p><p>-</p><p>Merlin awoke properly in his own bed, several days had passed since their captivity. Arthur and Lancelot were in the main room when he stumbled out bleary eyed. His arm was in a sling which Merlin imagined Gaius was pressured into by some worried knight because honestly, his shoulder felt fine. </p><p>“Merlin!” Arthur jumped up and after a moment’s hesitation on where to put his arms, the king hugged him fiercely. “Didn’t know you were that brave.” </p><p>Merlin laughed, “I hate Cenred, wan-t gonna give him anything.” </p><p>Arthur stood back, “sometimes I wonder whether your loyalty is just a side quest as you defy everyone you don’t like.”  Lancelot snorted from where he was perched near the window.</p><p>“My entire life is a side quest!”</p>
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